Don’t Believe It, He’s Not There

”And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.” | 1 Samuel 2: 1

The twenty-forth Chapter of Matthew has been the source of much speculation by men trying to predict the time of the Lord’s return.

The tragic irony is that most of the discussion and debate has been by the very ones our Lord was warning us to avoid.

Right in the middle of this glorious prophecy is a description of the “false Christ’s” and “false prophets”.

“Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” (Matthew 24: 26)

Here is the standard of measure we can use to try the spirits.

All false gospels declare Christ to be either in the desert or in the secret chambers.

Don’t believe it.

He will not be found in the desert of law keeping, the arid landscape of ceremony, or the dry lifeless soil of free-will.

Nor will He be found in the secret chambers of higher knowledge, deeper life, or an “anointed” charismatic experience.

No, when our Lord returns it will be just like when He comes to one of His elect in salvation.

“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24: 27)

He comes suddenly, sovereignly, and surely.

Look for Him in His free, sovereign, simple gospel of accomplished substitution and full satisfaction.

That is the only place He will be found, and He will be found there.

~ Pastor Greg Elmquist

Click here to listen to the message “Rejoice in The Lord”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 14 January, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

Good News For Pilgrims

”These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” | Hebrews 11: 13

Let us go to Calvary to learn how we may be forgiven; and then let us linger there to learn how we may forgive.

~ Charles Spurgeon

Click here to listen to the message “Good News For Pilgrims” 5

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 27 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

The Trial Of Your Faith

”That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” | 1 Peter 1: 7

Trials of sickness, disease, and even death cannot produce faith or take it away; rather they manifest it, prove it, and glorify the God who gave and sustained it.

~ Pastor Darvin Pruitt

Click here to listen to the message “So We Preach, And So Ye Believed”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 22 April, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

A Believer Is A Mystery

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” | 1 Timothy 3: 16

The believer is a mystery to others and to himself also.

He is sanctified yet feels himself to be the chief of sinners.

He loves God’s law and will, yet he wrestles with an inward desire to have his own way.

He has great sorrow and heaviness of heart for many reasons, yet he rejoices in the Lord always.

His spirit longs to depart and be with Christ, yet his flesh clings to this earth.

He knows that he is secure in Christ, yet he examines his faith continually.

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Summary of True Religion”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 11 April, 2021 | Previous post date: 16 June, 2021

The Power Of The Word

”And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.” | 2 Samuel 9: 1-3

Things will make us moral, but they will not last.

If man’s wisdom, learning, eloquence, or religious persuasion could reform, we would be a reformed people.

But, in spite of all the churches and religion we have today, wickedness abounds on every hand.

Religion has very little influence on our life.

Napoleon said, “Religion is to keep the poor from murdering the rich.”

Things cannot change the heart.

They cannot put into the heart the love and peace of God.

They will not cause the heart to bow to His will.

The only thing that will do this is the Gospel, the Word which the Lord has given.

The Gospel alone shows sin in its true light, and gives us hope of mercy.

When the Gospel is preached in the power of the Spirit of God, and it is received and believed, an immediate and wonderful change takes place. The sinner leaves all his other false hopes; he is freed from the slavery to this world, and becomes the willing servant of Him who redeemed him.

~ Pastor Milton Howard

Click here to listen to the message “A Picture of Mercy”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 14 January, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky

The Wonder Of It All

”To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” | Ephesians 1: 6-7

When I think of the wonder, majesty, and glory of God, I can hardly believe that such a worm as I am should be called to be an heir of His grace.

Yet, it is just this vast difference that manifests the glory of His grace.

He who is the highest, the holiest, and the greatest has set His affection on the lowest, the most sinful, and weakest.

It is “to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

Oh! The wonder of it all!

~ Pastor Darvin Pruitt

Click here to listen to the message “The Wonder Of It All”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 13 March, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a

Absolute Control, Absolute Comfort

”Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” | 2 Corinthians 1: 3-5

God does not comfort us in our sorrow to make us feel comfortable, but “…that we may be able to comfort them which are in trouble, by the same comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1: 4)

Click here to listen to the message “Absolute Control, Absolute Comfort”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 22 April, 2018 | Previous post date: n/a

Clean And Unclean Animals

”And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.” | Leviticus 11: 1-4

When God told Noah to fill up the ark with animals, He distinguished between the “clean and unclean.”

Clean animals were designated as those which “parteth the hoof… and cheweth the cud”

There were some animals which had cloven (parted) hooves but did not chew the cud, and there were some which chewed the cud but did not have the parted hooves.

These were declared unclean.

Why these distinctions and what are their significance?

When God creates a “new creature in Christ”; when He makes him “holy, righteous… CLEAN”, that new person then exhibits two characteristics: he parteth from his sin and cheweth on the gospel.

Repentance and faith is what I am talking about.

Every regenerated person has been given both repentance and faith; every one born of God repents and believes.

If not, he or she is not clean.

There is no true conversion without a “turning to God… “turning from sin” and “believing on the Son”… belief of the Truth.

Repentance and faith (parting and chewing) are lifelong characteristics.

Also, most of the “unclean” animals were FLESH EATING.

The new creature in Christ, the child of God, the true circumcision… “puts no confidence in the flesh.”

Brother Nibert said of the Raven which never returned to the ark, “it represents the religious man who… is satisfied with the dead, rotting works of the flesh.”

But the believer is only satisfied with Christ and His Gospel!

When he hears the gospel of Christ, he feeds on that gospel, he feeds on Christ Himself, and then chews upon it as a cow chews his cud, over and over, the same blessed gospel, which gets better the more you chew on it.

What about you?

Do you desire to part with your sin and do you love to chew upon the gospel?

~ Pastor Paul Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “Salvation By Covenant Mercies”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Central Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 3 April, 2022 | Previous post date: n/a | Rocky Mount, Virginia

He Who Counts The Stars!

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” | Psalm 147: 3-5

He who counts the stars and calls them by their names, is in no danger of forgetting His own children!

He knows your case as thoroughly as if you were the only creature He ever made, or the only saint He ever loved!

It is most important for us to learn, that the smallest trifles are as much arranged by the God of Providence, as the most startling events.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matthew 10: 29-30)

He who counts the stars — has also numbered the hairs of our heads.

Our lives and deaths are predestined — but so, also, are our sitting down and our rising up!

~ Charles Spurgeon

Click here to listen to the message “All His Paths Are Mercy & Truth”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 11 April, 2021 | Previous post date: 13 June, 2021

The Man With The Unclean Spirit

”Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee” | Mark 5: 19

The Lord had shown great mercy to this poor sinner, setting him free from demons and from sin.

Now He tells him to go home to his family and friends and be the Lord’s witness.

Do not go home and begin to preach.

Do not go home and take up the great doctrines of grace and expound them.

Do not go home and strive to bring everyone to your views and beliefs.

Do not go home and condemn all who do not see what you see.

Go home and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you! Not what great things you have read or heard, but what great things you have experienced!

“We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4: 5)

This is the way to begin our witnessing.

There never is a more interesting story than the story a person has experienced, lived, and felt.

If you would really interest others and get their attention, tell them what great things the Lord has done in you and for you!

Notice, the Lord said, “Tell them what great things the Lord hath done.”

It is a story of free grace.

Not what we did, willed, or gave, but what He did for us by his own free, sovereign, and undeserved love.

We will not convince them nor change them any more than another man could convert us.

But the Lord, who did great things for us, can do great things for them if He is so pleased.

“But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.” (Psalm 9: 7-11)

And He is pleased to use the faithful witness of those who go and tell “how great things the Lord hath done for thee.”

~ Pastor Henry Mahan

Click here to listen to the message “The Man With the Unclean Spirit”

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Visit our primary website at www.ksgctn.org for more information about Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, watch our livestream (when available) and access our previously recorded messages.

Zebulon Grace Church Bulletin Article date: 14 January, 2007 | Previous post date: n/a | Pikeville, Kentucky